Automobile convertible-seat arrangement



Feb. 4, 1930. W, E, HOBBS 1,745,538

AUTOMOBILE -CONVERTIBLE) SEAT ARRANGEMENT t [2mm/t0? William E .HobbsFeb, 4, 1930. w. E. HoBBs 1,745,538

AUTOMOBILE CONVERTIBLE SEAT ARRANGEMENT william E .Hobbs (gv QM PatentedFeb. 4, 193e wILIJI'Am n Horns, or' CLINTON, Noam: CAROLINA.AU'JJOIMIOBIIm CONVERTIBLE-SEAT ABBANGEMENT Application led September 61928. Serial No.` 804,266.

The present invention pertains to im- 'provements in seat varrangementsfor automobiles, wherein thel seats vmay be quickly adjusted to convertthem into-use as a bed.

Numerous efforts have'been made with this end in view, but due to thecumbersome means generally employed,4 this Ltype of seat forautomobiles, has not become popular.

The prime object of this invention resides in the provision ofconvertible seats for auto mobiles, wherein the seat and back sectionsof both the front and rear seats maybe adjustedtoa position rinsubstantially horizontal planes.

Another important object of the invention is accomplished b al meanswhereby the front seat may be shi ted forwardly in order to utilize theback space of the vehicle immediately below the usual instrument board.

Still another object resides in the special means employed forsupporting the rear seat back section in a position whereby bed clothesmay be obtained from a compartment located thereunder without anyinconvenience. After reading the following specification and claim,other important objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional view through theconventional automobile of the usual coach type and showing the novelseat structures in their normal upright positions for use as seats, and

Figure 2 is a lon 'tudinal sectional view through an automobile body ofthe same type and showing the several seat sections dispose insubstantially a horizontal plane 'for use as a bed.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts,an automobile body designated by A includes. the usual windows B, andwindshield C. The elements are shown in the drawin s in side elevation,and 45 may be used in suite le numbers without ai?- fecting the -spiritand scope of this invention.

Within the automobile body front and rear seat structures are generallyreferred to by numerals 1 andA 2 respectively. Beneath the front` seat'structure an I beam 3 is secured 5,( transversely across the floor ofthe vehicle for supporting the rear portion of the seat cushion .i Y iAn eye screw secured to the bottom of the cushion at its forward cornersserves to support one end of a slotted guide bar 6 and has connectedthereto a depending member 7 for journally supporting a roller 8. theroller being adapted to ride on the surface of the floor of the vehicle.An eye bolt 9 secured at its threaded end to the vehicle floor has asuitable means for slidably connecting the eye portion thereof to theguide bar 6, through the slot therein. The opposite end of the guide baris cono5 nected in spaced relation to the seat cushion by a spacingmember, 10.

The front seat section 11 is pivotally connected to the rear portion ofthe seat cushion 4 so that by leaning it forward and lifting 70 it up,the same may be swung rearwardly to a position substantially shown inFigure 2.

A pivotal foot rest 13 is provided with a foot member 14, at its outerend. This Afoot rest is adapted to be swung to a position to 75.

bear against the upper rear side portion of the seat back 11. s

The rear seat structureQ is provided with the usual seat cushionsupporting wall l5. This wall is. provided with an oset and up- 3Gstanding Hange 16, at its Yupper portion and this normally engages inthe groove 17 of the cushion bottom as is clearly shown in Figure 1.

By reversingthe osition of the rear seat cushion. the upstandmg flange15 will engage in an intermediate groove 18 of the seat cushion when thecushion is arranged in the forwardly projecting position as' shown inFigure 2 'ln this position, the foot member 9@ 14 on the foot restengages in" an `eyelet 19 on the rear portion ofthe rear seat'cushion.

ends `of the walls, said bottom section being provided with agroove Vronthe bottom side The rear seat supporting wall 15 is also pro- Ithereoffor `receiving the cross member i vided with rearwardly sloping lsidewalls 20-which are provided with inwardly disposed flanges 21 at theirupper edgesrl. A transversely disposed pillow 22 has securedthereon aAU-shaped bar 23, within which lthe depend?` ing portion' of 'thebackboard of the rear seat' back section rests when the back section isinupright position. When the seat is in this upright position, afastener 25 carriedby the back 4wall of the vehicle is engageable withthe upper end of the back board to maintain the same in proper position.The backboard is provided with a protuberance 26, engageable by the hookmember on the side wall 2O y when lthe'same is shifted forwardly to the-inclined position shown in Figure 2. For supporting the upper end ofthe rearseat back of the vehicle and the rear side of the back. board424 `are provided with eye me bers 28-28, and a strip member is connectd between these eye members and serves to sup.. port the upper end of'the'back section in the position and manner shown in- Figure 2.

In converting the front and vrear seats'from their positions shown inFigure 1 to the positionshown in Figure 2, the front seat cushion 4 issimply shifted forwardly. The rear end .portion of the cushion will beelevated through this movement by` reason fof the engagement of theguide bar 6 with the-eye bolt-9. After the front cushion has beenshifted to the positionv shown ,inFiguref 2, the back sectioncomplementary thereto is'l swung rearwardly and is. supported in asubstantially horizontal position'by the upstanding position of the footrest 13. The rear cushion is then reversed in the manner aforementionedand connected to the foot rest 13 by the hook member.- The rear seatback Isection may'then be lifted so that the back board 24 will bedisengaged from the U bar 23. The same may then'be shifted to theinclined position shown in Figure 2f and in ythis position supported bythe strap 29 and retained b the hokmember27.

, It is to e understood that certainA changes in the specific shape,size and materials may be resorted to, without :departing from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described .In a convertible seat arrangementr 'for ve#h1c1eswherein the front seat structure is col= -1apsible to form aportion of a bed; the rear seat structure for forming the remainingportion of the bed, said rear seat structure comprising abottomsectionand a back sec:- tion, a pair o f forwardly inclining wallsupon which the bottom section is normally supported, a. cross member atthe forward when the bottom section is yin, a forwardly shiftedposition; and a' sling structure for supporting the .back section `inforwardly declinin position withits forward .edge por# tion a utting therearward edgeportion yof v my invention, what r

